2024 AIChE Annual Meeting
(494a) Designing Nanoscale Hybrid CO2 Capture Materials for Efficient Microwave-Assisted Regeneration
Authors
Ga Hyun Lee, Columbia University
Aaron Moment, UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science
Ah-Hyung Alissa Park, Columbia University
The energy-intensive desorption stage in CO2 capture often relies on thermal energy utilizing fossil fuels. As renewable energy becomes affordable and available for CO2 capture, innovations in developing CO2 capture materials and reactors are needed. This study investigates one of the non-thermal energy transfer approaches (i.e., microwave radiation) to provide targeted heating to effectively release captured CO2. Nanoscale hybrid CO2 capture materials allow a unique design of combining microwave-active materials and CO2 capture materials. The study compares microwave-assisted desorption kinetics in nanoscale hybrid materials with various microwave-absorbing materials, such as magnetic nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and graphene. Microwave parameters, including power levels and frequencies, are optimized to enhance CO2 release efficiency while minimizing energy consumption and material disruption. This research explores the effect of nanoscale hybrid material structural parameters, such as grafting density and polymer chain length, on interactions between captured CO2 and microwave-active components. This study aims to advance sustainable carbon capture by optimizing desorption through innovative material design and microwave reactor technology.